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At the end of the 19th century, Chattanooga earned the nickname “Dynamo of Dixie” because of its extensive railroads and growing manufacturing industry. In the year In 1941, Glenn Miller immortalized the city with his hit “Chattanooga Choo-Choo.” But what built the city eventually hurt him: In 1969, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declared Chattanooga’s air the most polluted in the nation due to uncontrolled emissions from railroads and coal plants.
In the year In the early 1990s, the city began a revival with the restoration of the historic Walnut Street Bridge. Now one of the longest footbridges in the world, it connects the city center to the northern part of the city, which has restaurants, condominiums and beer gardens. Downtown revitalization continued into the 2000s with an expanded riverfront, waterfront complex, and live-action gaming districts.
“Chattown” continues to be a transportation and distribution hub—with three interstates (24, 59, and 75) running through town—and new restaurants, shops, and speakeasies continue to expand along pedestrian-friendly avenues. From Charlotte, it’s a six-hour drive or one-hour flight on American Airlines. Take a long weekend, breathe in the fresh air, and see how this southern city can reinvent itself.
Stay
Reading House It is a The Great Gatsby-An inspired hotel on the edge of downtown with art deco furnishings, glittering ballrooms, and bellhops in gold paisley shirts and bowler hats. Room 311 is the infamous room where Al Capone stayed during his federal trial in the 1930s. Edwin Hotel It puts you across the street from the Tennessee Riverwalk, and the lobby is a rotating art gallery featuring works from 75 local artists. The hotel also has a bar, spa and rooftop bar serving over 100 Tennessee whiskeys. If you are traveling with children, stay here Chattanooga Chu-Chu Hotel. Built in 1908, the historic downtown station was once the terminal for the Southern Railroad; Today it has an indoor pool, comedy club and escape room that simulates a runaway train.
eat
Visit The Frothy MonkeyAn all-day cafe and bar serving pastries, sandwiches and cheese boards, beer, wine and cocktails. For a casual lunch or dinner, check out Barrel of picklesIn the year A Chattanooga institution since 1982, where sticky, misshapen wooden tables are covered in Sharpie scribbles and servers carry baskets of burgers, wings and big fried chicken. On a hot day, top one with a scoop of butter pecan or mint chocolate chunks Klumpies Ice Cream Co.Three places. If you like bagels and local beers (why wouldn’t you?), head to Market South, a food hall. Five Wits Brewing Company, Eggman Bagelry, and a dog-friendly courtyard corn pit. If you come to celebrate or celebrate a special event, book a table at Bridgeman’s Chophousein Read House, and their steaks, seafood towers and their famous Black Forest bomb dessert.
A century-old carousel in Coolidge Park. Courtesy photos.
Play
Wear some comfortable walking shoes or hop on a bike Bike Chattanooga42 docking stations in the city, and pedal downtown on a regular or electric bike. The first 60 minutes are free; Day passes are $8 and allow unlimited rides for 24 hours. 2,376 feet Walnut Street Bridge A brisk 25-minute walk or five-minute bike ride takes you to the top of the peloton leaderboard—and across the Tennessee River. Coolidge Park. The 7-acre plot on the North Shore waterfront features a restored 100-year-old carousel, splash pad and 13-mile greenway. Back to the south, visit Tennessee Aquarium to see sharks, otters and penguins or watch a movie at the IMAX 3D theater. Stop by when you need some retail therapy Warehouse rowa Civil War-era factory full of shops and restaurants.
A well-read house
GHOSTly encounters in the Reading House
Chattanooga is one of the hardest hit cities in the US, in part because of its Civil War. The city was the site of one of the deadliest battles, second only to Gettysburg, and The Read House (then known as the Crutchfield House and burned to the ground in 1867) served as a Civil War hospital in 1863. According to writer John Spalding, guests saw the ghosts of Union soldiers roaming the halls and hiding in the hotel’s ballroom mirrors.
When infamous Prohibition-era criminal Al Capone stayed in Room 311, the guest suite was haunted by a woman named Annalisa Netherly. “Annalissa’s husband caught her with another man and cut her throat,” Spaulding said. A few days later, her body was found in a bathtub.
Guests can still book room 311, but Spalding said most won’t go past midnight. He has received reports of shadows in the mirror, flashing lights and ghosts moving through the set. “Annalissa is known for photobombing,” he said. “Smokers who stay in this room shiver and say they feel cold—Annalisa hates people who smoke. A cigar-loving Capone, he never admitted to dealing with ghosts.
If you’re brave enough to book a night in Room 311, it’s only available in October. The room looks like it was in the 1920s, complete with antique furniture, a clawfoot tub and a rotary telephone. You won’t find a television, coffee maker, or hair dryer—and you probably shouldn’t count on an uninterrupted night’s sleep.
Come back in time
To celebrate its 150th anniversary, The Read House is hosting a series of period-inspired dinners in 2022. On Saturday, August 20, don your elegant evening gowns and waistcoats and gather for a four-course dinner in the hotel’s historic Green Room. It takes you back to the turn of the century. The menu is taken from historic cookbooks and Reading House serves dishes served in that era. The evening will include a cocktail reception with champagne and original JW Kelly whiskey signature cocktails. Reading House Historian Tyler Logue will begin the evening with a brief historical introduction and give you a tour of Room 311 after the meal.
Taylor Bowler is the Lifestyle Editor.
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